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Offshore wind energy target raised

Industries give keen response to 1 GW EoI

India has raised its long-term target to install 30-GW of offshore wind power generators by 2030, up from 5-GW by 2022 and responding to a recent keen interest seen from both the domestic and global industries.

The New & Renewable Energy Ministry announced the target on 19 June 2018 but acknowledged challenges and difficulties in installing large wind power turbines in open seas.

The decision follows the industries’ keen response to a recent call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the first 1 GW offshore wind project in the country.

Offshore wind power would add a new element to the already existing basket of renewable energy for the country.

The Ministry had noted in the National Offshore Wind Policy of October 2015 the potential of offshore wind power in the country.

Preliminary studies have indicated good wind potential for wind power both in southern tip of Indian peninsula and west coast.

Two regions where preliminary studies are conducted are off coast of Gujarat and that of Tamil Nadu.

For precise wind quality measurements one LiDAR has been installed near Gujarat coast which is generating data about quality of off-shore wind since November 2017.

Encouraged by quality of offshore wind, a private sector player has also installed LiDAR in Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat for offshore wind resource measurements.

Plans are afoot to install more of such equipment in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Surveys to understand the oceanographic and sea bed condition within identified zones off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been planned.

Globally, about 17 to 18 GW of offshore wind power capacities have been installed in countries such as UK, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands & China.

Recent years have witnessed fall in offshore wind tariff in some of these markets.

India has set onshore wind target of 60 GW and has installed 34 GW of solar of 100-GW target by 2022. fii-news.com